Claremont, CA

Claremont is the last Los Angeles County city before San Bernardino County begins, with Upland and Montclair across the line to the east and La Verne and Pomona on its other sides. The city sorts itself by distance from that core. Near the Village and the campuses, older homes sit on shady streets within walking distance of dinner. North of Foothill Boulevard, land that once grew citrus holds larger houses facing the mountains, and in between, quieter suburban tracts fill out the map. Claremont Hills Wilderness Park is where the town goes to sweat, a loop up into the foothills with views across the valley on clear days. Down on the flats, the city tends a large public forest of street trees, and many blocks feel shaded even in August. Bakeries are a Village specialty. Creme Bakery and I Like Pie Bakeshop both draw regulars, and Iron & Kin pours specialty lattes in the old packing plant just west of Indian Hill Boulevard. The Folk Music Center, a longtime instrument shop, is a reminder that downtown is more than places to eat. Daily life splits between walking and driving. The Metrolink platform downtown puts Union Station one San Bernardino Line ride away, while the big supermarkets are out along Foothill Boulevard. The 10 and the 210 both pass through, one at each end of town. On a weekday afternoon the line between campus and downtown is hard to find, with lecture halls and bakery counters a block apart.